Sprint Carnival

Our first ever 100m Sprint Carnival had the whole school buzzing at Lunchtime on Tuesday 29th August. Who would prove themselves the fastest?

With a short-cropped track mowed into the Soccer Pitch by our groundsman Geoff Cox, and the sun out in the middle of a blue sky, the scene was set as everyone rushed from Homeroom to claim the best bench seats along the length of the track.

Mrs Stewart’s Year 12s manned a Food Stall selling Hotdogs & Icy Poles, with Rayden “Buckets” Toll spinning pump-up music from a loudspeaker, and Mrs Sullivan’s Year 10 Microbusiness class did a great job setting up a Drink Shop, adding to the atmosphere halfway down the straight.

Special Guest Official Mrs Newman (still officially on Long Service Leave) returned for a visit, overseeing with experience the Finish Line and Results Table with Mrs Chalmers and their skilled 8 teachers on Stop Watches adjacent.

Late entries were permitted at the Marshalling Table manned by Mrs Benson and Mrs O’Kane, and in total 75 runners raced to settle once and for all who would qualify to run the 100m at next Thursday’s Upper Hume Athletics Carnival in Albury. The top 4 place getters for each race will make the 4x100m Relay teams.

The overall Final Standings showed that the 3 quickest runners at the school are all Year 10 Boys. Jye Laxton was the Champion, his time of 12.62 just pipping Tom Ford (12.97) and Lachie Suffield (13.03). All boys are key members of many of our sport teams, most recently the Intermediate Boys Netball team who dominated the Upper Hume Carnival and then a fortnight ago almost won the Hume Region stage, narrowly missing making it to the State Finals (by percentage).

For the Girls, it was a Year 10 followed by two Year 8s who were the Top 3 quickest in the school. Year 10 Claire Christison emerged the quickest at 14.85, cementing herself a remarkable all-round athlete, having made it to State for Cross Country this year at a distance of 3000m. Outstanding. Two other all-rounders who are key members of pretty much all of our Year 8 Girls sporting teams & who are heading to the State Badminton Finals in Melbourne next Thursday, proved themselves the 2nd and 3rd fastest. They were Casey Sheppard (15.15) and Lillian Hooper (15.33).

Other performances of note were two boys who won their 100m race, that also made the Top 10 in the 3000m Cross Country Upper Hume race in Myrtleford in Term 2 (and in Leo’s case, all the way to the State Final). They were Kade Hadley of Year 9, and Leo Woodburne of Year 7. It takes an excellent athlete to be able to perform to such a high level at both distances. Certainly the kind of attribute that should help Kade in his upcoming trials for the V-Line Under 15 Football Squad, which will select the best 22 footballers in the North East.

It was brilliant to see so many of our kids willing to compete under the watchful eyes of peers, and also to have so many cheering them on. A super scene and a highlight of the year so far.

Results:

• Jud Mullins

Pictured: Jye Laxton